The damage caused by the tobacco budworm on tomatoes begins at the flowering stage and continues until just before harvest. Female moths lay eggs on the surface of young pedicels of flower buds, and the larvae that hatch feed on the petals or calyx. As a result, flowers fail to bloom or bloom incompletely, reducing fruit set rates. When the fruit begins to form, larvae scrape the surface or bore small entry holes to penetrate inside. They feed on the internal flesh, leaving excrement and visible damage. The excrement is sticky, dark brown, and a major cause of rot.
Even hardened fruits can be penetrated. Larvae often consume the central pulp, so from the outside only a small hole may be visible, but the interior may be more than half eaten, making the fruit unmarketable. Furthermore, a single larva does not feed on just one fruit; it moves to multiple fruits, accelerating the spread of damage.
In addition to direct damage, tobacco budworms cause indirect harm: the wounds they create invite fungi and bacteria, leading to secondary diseases such as soft rot, mold, and bacterial decay. Severe infestations can cause 30–70% yield loss. Because they damage not only fruits but also flower buds, regular early control is essential—especially before larvae burrow inside fruits.
JADAM Microbial Pesticide (JMP) has excellent adhesion, making it particularly effective against adults and early-stage larvae, greatly reducing the onset of infestations. The JADAM Microorganism Solution (JMS), made from leaf mold, potato or starch, and sea salt, is complete when vigorous foam covers the surface—this is when its insecticidal power is at its peak. Mixing it with decyl glucoside at a 1:500 ratio instantly turns it into a pesticide. The video shows the result of spraying JMP on a tobacco budworm that had penetrated a cherry tomato—it died within seconds.
Learn to make JMP yourself
- Korean: https://www.jadam.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=16765
- English: https://en.jadam.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=10986
- JADAM Books : https://amzn.to/3kZrw1L